With the growing complexity of software/application development, Development & Operations Engineers are in high demand. SREs are also in high demand as the IT industry is adapting approaches to create robust yet scaleable software with lesser iterations. SRE and DevOps are both software development methodologies that complement each other to help organizations develop scalable software. Still, SRE workflow isn’t like Dev-Ops at all!
“Development & Operations specify what teams must do, and SRE tells the teams how to do it.”
This blog highlights various aspects of both methodologies so IT professionals can understand the key differences and fundamentals of SRE and Development & Operations.
What is Development & Operations?
It is a methodology that combines software development processes and operational workflows. It aims to automate software deployment, code configuration, and system maintenance activities. Being an open-source development methodology, it focuses on rapid code iterations through iterative deployment and continuous integration. DevOps also assists in reducing risks of software bugs, time management, system downtime, etc.
What is SRE?
The site reliability engineering or SRE approach represents how IT operations blend with software engineering concepts. SRE engineers are skilled in both development and operational tasks. They automate IT operations tasks that system administrators usually perform. Most tasks include production system management, incident response, and change management.
What is the connection between the two?
Both of these methodologies might seem strikingly similar in some ways. The primary responsibility of SRE teams and DevOps teams is to manage the distance between development and operation and work on improving the release cycle. There are also many overlapping tasks, responsibilities, and requirements.
Understanding the Differences
If we try searching for the difference between the two methodologies, we can say that Dev & Ops combines various processes to confirm what teams need to do. On the other hand, SRE explains iteration steps of how to do it.
SRE embodies Dev & OPs philosophies and theories with a greater focus on estimating reliability and operational works through engineering. Below, we have noted the classic differences between the two agile concepts.
Development and implementation
DevOps is core development, while SRE implements the core. In other words, Dev & Ops teams take an agile approach to software development to find a solution. The application helps build, deploy, test, and monitor the product’s quality, control and speed.
SREs work on implementing the core by taking hold of operational data and software engineering to boost the IT operational task’s delivery. They always transfer feedback to the core development team to develop the designs.
Essence
Development & Operations is a collection of several philosophies that encourage collaboration between siloed teams. Then, SRE was advanced to produce a set of metrics and practices with better collaboration and service delivery.
Silos
In this day, the organizational structure has become complex. People from each department are working towards their own goals without sharing the bigger picture. So, DevOps teams encourage breaking down silos and helping everyone see the same shared vision.
SREs, take a more practical approach by implying tools and technologies throughout the company. This way, communication is more manageable, and the responsibilities are shared.
Skills
There are different sets of skills between Dev, Ops, and SRE teams have different sets of skills. For instance, core development of Dev-Ops imprints software by writing codes, testing, and pushing them into production to obtain an application as the solution to a problem.
SREs are analytic. They investigate a problem thoroughly so that the same problems don’t appear next time. Hence, SREs are willing to be proactive by automating repetitive tasks.
Focus
The primary focus of SRE and DevOps is making product development continuous and easy. But SRE focuses on the application or system’s reliability, availability, and scalability.
Bug Reporting
The Dev and Ops team must find and eliminate code defects and resolve bugs from the CI/CD pipeline system. If the SRE team discovers any bug, they report it to the core development team that doesn’t debug the product, if not for a production outage. The SRE team is also accountable for troubleshooting and resolving sudden infrastructure problems.
Using of tools
Both Development & Operations and SRE apply flexible application programming interfaces. SRE supports teams using APIs, while DevOps allows teams using automation tools to entrust the most up-to-date technologies.
Failures
Development & Operations and SRE both applications view failures and errors as expected, unavoidable occurrences. Development & Operations focuses on handling runtime errors and creates a path for teams to learn from those failures. In the meantime, SRE uses Service level communities(Slx) to take hold of the failures. A risk budget also involves allowing teams to experiment with the failures.
Automation
In engineering and developing processes, automation has become the key to everything. Because, regardless of your role, there isn’t just enough time to do things manually. It is better to continuously automate things to reserve your time and energy for the same task.
DevOps has decided to automate the deployment of tasks and features, and as for SRE, they are set on automating redundancy. It will become easier to handle manual tasks that can be transformed into programmatic tasks.
Control
Development & Operations operational and management teams are in charge of maintenance and monitoring. In the case of SRE, software monitoring and maintenance are put in the hands of the developers.
Final Thoughts
Now it’s clear that SRE is a team that keeps a company’s infrastructure and software up and running. But, the Dev & Ops teams focus on continuous development with continuous software integration. SRE and DevOps have overlapping conceptual approaches that initiate unique differences. Both contribute to improving software development and delivery workflows by bringing automation and reliability.
SRE or DevOps, find out what’s best for your organization’s SDLC through Top IT Consulting Experts!
BDCC
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